The Beaver Dam Eye Study is funded by the National Eye Institute, one of the 20 National Institutes of Health. The purpose of the Study is to collect information on the prevalence and incidence of age-related cataract, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, which are all common eye diseases causing loss of vision in an aging population. The study was designed to discover (or detect) causes of these conditions. The study also has examined other aging problems, such as decline in overall health and quality of life and development of kidney and heart disease.
